Taye Diggs | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Diggs in 2018 | |
| Born | Scott Leo Berry[1] (1971-01-02)January 2, 1971 (age 55) Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University(BFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Misty Copeland (cousin-in-law) |
Scott Leo "Taye"Diggs (néBerry; born January 2, 1971)[2] is an American actor and singer. He is known for his roles in theBroadway musicalsRent andHedwig and the Angry Inch, the TV seriesPrivate Practice (2007–2013),Murder in the First (2014–2016), andAll American (2018–2023), and the filmsHow Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998),Brown Sugar,Chicago (both 2002),Malibu's Most Wanted (2003),Dylan Dog: Dead of Night (2011), andThe Best Man (1999) and its sequel,The Best Man Holiday (2013).
Scott Leo Berry was born inNewark, New Jersey, and grew up in theSouth Wedge neighborhood ofRochester, New York.[3][4] His mother, Marcia (née Berry), was a teacher and actress, and his father, Andre Young, was a visual artist. When he was a child, his mother married Jeffries Diggs, whose surname Taye took.[5] His nickname, Taye, comes from the playful pronunciation of Scotty as "Scottay".[6] He is the oldest of five children.[7] He has two brothers, Gabriel and Michael, and two sisters, Christian and Shalom. He attendedAllendale Columbia School in Rochester and later transferred toSchool of the Arts.[4][8][9] He received aBFA in musical theater in 1993 fromSyracuse University College of Visual and Performing Arts.[10][11]
Diggs performed many times at the popular Lakes Region Summer Theatre inMeredith, New Hampshire. He also spent the summer of 1992 at the New London Barn Playhouse inNew London, New Hampshire.[12] His Broadway debut was in the ensemble cast of the 1994Tony Award-winning revival of the musicalCarousel. In 1995, he also performed as a dancer inSebastian's Caribbean Carnival atTokyo Disneyland.
In 1996, Diggs originated the role of the landlord Benny inJonathan Larson's Tony Award- andPulitzer Prize-winningRent, which also starred his future wife,Idina Menzel. AfterRent, he appeared as Mr. Black opposite Menzel's character of Kate inAndrew Lippa'soff-Broadway production ofThe Wild Party atManhattan Theatre Club. Diggs also played The Bandleader in the 2002 film version of the Broadway revival ofChicago and filled in as Billy Flynn on Broadway.[13] He also temporarily filled in forNorbert Leo Butz (an originalRent standby) as the love interestFiyero of Menzel'sElphaba character inWicked.
Diggs then moved from stage to television with a role on the soap operaGuiding Light. In 1998, he made his film debut inHow Stella Got Her Groove Back, which brought Diggs much acclaim and exposure. The following year, he played atantric sex god inDoug Liman'sGo, andAWOLgroom in the coming-of-age dramaThe Wood alongsideOmar Epps.Malcolm D. Lee'sThe Best Man features Diggs as the title character, an author and best friend of the groom (portrayed byMorris Chestnut).
He also starred in the1999 remake ofWilliam Castle'sHouse on Haunted Hill. Diggs was featured in an episode ofAmerica's Next Top Model helping the contestants through an acting challenge. Another notable role of his was on the comedy-dramaAlly McBeal as a lawyer named Jackson Duper who was the love interest of the character Renee Raddick and the possible love interest of theLing Woo character.
Diggs portrayed the title character on the short-livedUPN television seriesKevin Hill which despite critical acclaim was not renewed for a second season. He reprised the role of Benny for the 2005Rent film. Diggs is featured on the followingcast recordings:Carousel 1994 revival cast;Rent 1996 original Broadway cast;The Wild Party original off-Broadway cast. He also sings on theRent film soundtrack. In 2002, he reprised his role as the Bandleader inthe film adaptation ofChicago, and also played oppositeChristian Bale as Bale's partner/antagonist Brandt in the dystopian sci-fi thrillerEquilibrium.
In 2003, Diggs appeared on the TV showPunk'd after being tricked byAshton Kutcher, while getting a check-up at aPunk'd-operated doctor's office. In early 2006, Diggs guest-starred for several episodes asWill Truman's love interest, James, on the eighth season ofWill & Grace. In May, ABC picked up his pilot,Day Break, in which he portrayed a detective trapped in the same day and forced to relive it to clear his name of murder; the show debuted in mid-November 2006, but was abruptly canceled due to poor ratings. Although his film and television career continue to move forward, he still returns to the stage frequently. He was seen oppositeJames McDaniel inCharles Fuller'sA Soldier's Play atSecond Stage Theatre in New York.
Diggs co-starred asSam Bennett oppositeKate Walsh inPrivate Practice, the spin-off ofGrey's Anatomy, which ran for six seasons from 2007 until 2013.[14] Diggs had a guest role onThe West Wing as a Secret Service agent in charge of the security detail for the President's daughter. He then guest-starred onGrey's Anatomy again in aGrey's Anatomy/Private Practice crossover event. Diggs had a major role in the live action adaptation of the comicDylan Dog: Dead of Night (2011).[15] He also narrated the ESPN Films documentaryThe Fab Five aboutUniversity of Michigan basketball playersChris Webber,Juwan Howard,Jalen Rose,Jimmy King, andRay Jackson. Diggs is one of the stars of the independent film dramaBetween Us that won the grand jury prize at the 2012 Bahamas International Film Festival among its other festival appearances.[16]
From 2014 until 2016, Diggs starred in theTNT serial crime dramaMurder in the First withKathleen Robertson.[17] The show ran for three seasons. Diggs is the author of four children's books,Mixed Me! (2015),Chocolate Me (2015),I Love You More Than... (2018), andMy Friend! (2021), all illustrated byShane Evans (artist).[18] Diggs performed the role of the titular character Hedwig in the Broadway production ofHedwig and the Angry Inch at theBelasco Theatre from July 22, 2015, until the production's closing on September 13, 2015. In 2017, Diggs appeared in the films'Til Death Do Us Part andMy Little Pony: The Movie, where he voices Capper the cat.
Diggs has twice appeared onParamount Network's reality competition seriesLip Sync Battle and is the show's only two-time winner. In a third-season episode againstNe-Yo, Diggs sang his competitor's song "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" and then performed as Madonna for round two's performance of "Vogue". In his next appearance, the fourth season'sChristina Aguilera tribute episode, he competed againstErika Jayne, performing "Beautiful" and "Candyman".
Diggs hosted the game showHypnotize Me with hypnotistKeith Barry, based on Barry's British programYou're Back in the Room.Hypnotize Me was originally shot for broadcast onFOX in 2016, but never aired on the network. The eight-episode series was eventually broadcast onThe CW, in the summer of 2019.[19][20][21] Diggs starred in the horror filmIncarnation alongside Jessica Uberuaga andMichael Madsen, the film was released in 2022.[22] In 2023, Diggs co-starred alongside Apryl Jones in thePeacock streaming filmThe Comeback.[23] Diggs also starred inBET+ films two part series in 2023Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy , with part one releasing on September 21 and the second part releasing on September 28.[24][25] Diggs starred and was executive producer alongsideMeagan Good inTerry McMillan Presents: Forever which premiered onLifetime on August 24, 2024.[26]
In 2025, Taye Diggs starred in theLifetime short filmI'll Be Home for Margarita Day withMaria Menounos which was presented byChili's.[27]
Diggs is the co-artistic director of a dance company, Dre.dance, with fellow Broadway veteran and School of the Arts alumnus Andrew Palermo.[28]
Diggs married hisRent co-star, actressIdina Menzel, on January 11, 2003. Their son, Walker Nathaniel Diggs, was born on September 2, 2009. In 2013, the couple separated after ten years of marriage.[29] Their divorce was finalized on December 3, 2014.[30]
In 2014, Diggs began a relationship with real estate agent Amanza Smith. They split in 2019.[31]
From 2021 to 2023, Diggs was in a relationship withLove & Hip Hop: Hollywood star Apryl Jones, who is the mother of singerOmarion's children.[32][33][34]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | New York Undercover | Stephon | Episode: "No Greater Love" |
| Law & Order | Sky Bell | Episode: "Good Girl" | |
| 1997 | Guiding Light | Adrian "Sugar" Hill | Unknown episodes |
| 101 Dalmatians: The Series | Dre (voice) | Episode: "He Followed Me Home" | |
| 2001 | Ally McBeal | Jackson Duper | 10 episodes Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series |
| 2003 | Punk'd | Himself | Episode: "2.5" |
| Ed | Episode: "Captain Lucidity" | ||
| The West Wing | Secret Service Agent Wesley Davis | 2 episodes | |
| 2004 | America's Next Top Model | Himself | Episode: "The Girls Meet Taye Diggs" |
| 2004–2005 | Kevin Hill | Kevin Hill | 22 episodes and also producer NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series |
| 2006 | Will & Grace | James | 4 episodes |
| 2006–2007 | Day Break | Detective Brett Hopper | 13 episodes and also producer |
| 2007–2009 | Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Sam Bennett | 3 episodes |
| 2007–2013 | Private Practice | 111 episodes NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series(2010, 2012) Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Drama Actor | |
| 2009 | The Super Hero Squad Show | Black Panther (voice) | Episode: "Tremble at the Might of M.O.D.O.K.!" |
| Better Off Ted | Greg | Episode: "Love Blurts" | |
| 2010 | Black Panther | Historical Panther #2 (voice) | Episode: "Pilot"[36] |
| 2010, 2014 | Sesame Street | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | New Girl | Artie | Episode: "Coach" |
| 2014–2016 | Murder in the First | Inspector Terrance English | 32 episodes Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—People's Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Actor |
| 2014 | The Good Wife | Dean Levine-Wilkins | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Repeat After Me | Himself | Episode: "#1.8" |
| 2015–2017 | Doc McStuffins | Declan (voice) | 2 episodes[36] |
| 2015–2016 | Rosewood | Mike Boyce | 3 episodes[38] |
| 2016 | NCIS | USMC Gunnery Sergeant Aaron Davis | Episode: "Scope" |
| 2016–2017 | Empire | Councilman Angelo DuBois | 23 episodes |
| 2017, 2018 | Lip Sync Battle | Himself | 2 episodes |
| 2018–2024 | All American | Head Coach Billy Baker | Main cast |
| 2019 | Rent: Live | Himself | Television special[39] |
| Selling Sunset | Episode: "(Real) Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend"[40] | ||
| Hypnotize Me | 8 episodes | ||
| Elena of Avalor | Sanza (voice) | Episode: "Flower of Light" | |
| 2020 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Himself | Episode: "Taye Diggs" |
| Muppets Now | 6 episodes | ||
| 2021 | The Celebrity Dating Game | Episode: "Taye Diggs andDemi Burnett" | |
| Ada Twist, Scientist | Mr. Twist (voice) | 6 episodes[36] | |
| 2022 | The Best Man: The Final Chapters | Harper Stewart | Main cast[41] |
| Back in the Groove | Himself | Host 8 episodes | |
| 2023 | S.W.A.T. | Danny | Episode: "All That Glitters" |
| Love & Murder: Atlanta Playboy | Lance Herndon | 2 episodes | |
| 2024 | Alert: Missing Persons Unit | Himself | Episode: "Federal Prisoner #07198F-068P" |
| Ariel | King Triton (voice) | Main role[42][36] | |
| Terry McMillian Presents: Forever | Johniee | Also executive producer | |
| 2025 | RoboGobo | Pupsicle (voice) | 9 episodes |
| 2025 | I'll Be Home for Margarita Day | Sam | Television short |
| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Temptations" | 2pac | [43] |
| 2002 | "Boys" | Britney Spears featuringPharrell Williams | |
| 2014 | "Imagine"(UNICEF: World version) | Various | [44] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Carousel | Policeman / Cyrus Hamlin u/s Jigger Craigin | Broadway |
| 1996 | Rent | Benjamin Coffin III | Off-Broadway |
| 1996-1997 | Broadway | ||
| 2000 | The Wild Party | Mr. Black | Off-Broadway |
| 2002 | Chicago | Billy Flynn | Broadway |
| 2003–2004 | Wicked | Fiyero Tigelaar | |
| 2005 | A Soldier's Play | Captain Richard Davenport | Off-Broadway |
| 2015 | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Hedwig Robinson | Broadway |
| 2018 | Beauty and the Beast | Gaston | Hollywood Bowl |
| 2025 | Moulin Rouge! The Musical | The Duke of Monroth | Broadway[45] |
 | This section of abiography of a living persondoes notinclude anyreferences or sources. Please help by addingreliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourcedmust be removed immediately, especially if potentiallylibelous or harmful.(September 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
actor Taye Diggs in 1970 (age 52)
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